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Sunday, April 3, 2016

Woodland

Okay, you guys know how much I talk about the tranquility of the D Line. Of course, some stations are more peaceful then others, but you would think that the second-to-last stop on the line would be quite nice. Nope...Woodland throws tranquility out the window.

The platform.

Even ignoring the window through which the tranquility was thrown (which we will get to), the platform has a more modern and unnatural feel than others on the line. It features a heated shelter, of course, but also...glass ones? And...evenly-spaced bushes planted by humans? It all looks way too perfect. Sure, it functions well, but it all feels so...gross.

Ew...

And there's that tranquility-dumping window! Yes, Woodland has a modern generic apartment complex right next to it literally called "Woodland Station". Now, on the one hand, it makes for a very easy commute for its residents. On the other hand...it kinda ruins the station's aesthetics by having this huge honking building right next to it.

An entrance to the station.

Aside from the many openings leading to the apartment development, there is one more entrance that goes up to Washington Street. It's a simple one, basically just a staircase with a sign on the road. From the station, this is considered to be the "hospital" exit, since the Newton Wellesley Hospital is within walking distance from the staircase.

The station's bus stop.

Although no MBTA buses serve Woodland, the MWRTA runs two weekday-only routes here from Natick. As such, there is a small bus stop along the road paralleling the station, a little past the drop-off area. The stop is basically just a sign, a bench, and a wastebasket. I honestly have no idea how crowded it gets, though - probably not very, since this is the MWRTA we're talking about.

The parking garage!

Strangely, Woodland has a full-on parking garage. With 548 spaces, it may not rival the vast lot at Riverside, but this is a good place to go if the latter is full. The station doesn't offer quite as much in terms of bike spaces, though - in fact, it only has 16.

The station...viewed from above.

Okay, since it's only a three-story garage, I wasn't expecting much of a view, and I didn't get much of a view. Most of what you can see is just the nearby golf course, which isn't the most interesting of locales. You do get a nice look at the station, but it's not enough to justify the rooftop trip.

A train heading to Park Street (this was the day before Government Center would open).

Station: Woodland

Ridership: This is the third least-used station on the D Line, with 957 riders per weekday. This is probably due to the fact that the station has golf courses on two sides and suburban houses on the other two. I imagine that the Woodland Station Apartments contribute good ridership, though.

Pros: Woodland certainly functions well as a station, and the apartment building does provide an easy commute for its residents. Plus, the fact that it has a parking garage is great, and makes the station an alternative to Riverside. Finally, it's great the MWRTA provides commuter service here, so people can ride to their jobs in the Metrowest area.

Cons: Oh...only the aesthetics. It's, um, too modern. Compared to the rest of the D. Gosh, do I have a flimsy argument here.

Nearby and Noteworthy: Unless you like to get to get your putt on at the golf course, there isn't much around Woodland. Also, it seems like it would be hard to lug all of your golf clubs onto the Green Line.

Final Verdict: 8/10
Okay, I've had to throw my traditionalist views out the window for this one - perhaps the same window through which Woodland's tranquility was thrown. Yes, it may not have that classic D Line peacefulness, and it may look overly modern and fake, but...well, the place still functions well. And ultimately, that's the most important aspect of any station.